Emergencies in Siem Reap

Good to Know

• There's no single all-purpose emergency number in Cambodia — dial 117 for police, 118 for fire, or 119 for ambulance depending on the emergency.
• In Siem Reap, the Tourist Police office (near the Angkor temple ticket booth) is the practical first stop for reporting a crime, and staff there are more likely to speak English than general police elsewhere in the country.
• Response times and English proficiency at general (non-tourist) police stations can be limited — having a Khmer-speaking friend, hotel staff member, or driver help translate is genuinely useful in an emergency.
• Save the Tourist Police number in your phone before you need it — some travelers have reported emergency lines going unanswered or stations being closed, according to UK government travel advice.
• For serious medical emergencies, be aware that Siem Reap's hospital options are limited compared to Phnom Penh or Bangkok, so ambulance transport time and destination matter — confirm with your hotel or insurer in advance which facility they'd recommend.
• Royal Angkor International Hospital (RAH) is the facility most nomads and expats default to for anything beyond minor issues — it's the only Siem Reap hospital with a clearly documented 24-hour Emergency & Trauma department and its own ambulance/evacuation service.
• For genuinely life-threatening emergencies, many locals and expats recommend going directly to Royal Angkor International Hospital by taxi or tuk-tuk rather than waiting for a dispatched ambulance, since ambulance response times in Siem Reap can be slow.
• Cambodia does not use an internationally recognized trauma-level (Level I/II/III) certification system like the US or Australia — hospitals here describe their emergency capability qualitatively rather than by an official trauma designation.
• For serious trauma, major surgery, or complex care, RAH itself typically stabilizes patients before arranging medical evacuation to Bangkok — so comprehensive travel/medical insurance with evacuation coverage is strongly advised for anyone planning to stay in Siem Reap.
• Angkor Hospital for Children is a well-regarded non-profit facility, but it's built around pediatric care for Cambodian families — it's a good option for a child's illness, not the place to head for a serious adult accident.